Method of producing weedless fish hooks



Feb. 16, 1965 L. H. MORIN 3,169,299

METHOD OF PRDDUCING WEEDLESS FISH HOOKS Filed May 14, 1963 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 a W 40 v 37 INVENTOR. 01/15 h. MOR/A/ 4 T TOR/Vi Y Feb. 16, 1965 L. H. MORIN 3,169,299

METHOD OF PRODUCING WEEDLESS FISH HOOKS Filed May 14, 1963 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 k INVENTOR. 49 Lows H Mom/v A TTO/F/Vf Y United States Patent 3,169,299 llLlETHGD 1L PRGBUCENG WEEDLESS FESH HGGKS Louis H. Morin, Bronx, N.Y. (1.25 Beechwood Ave, New Rochelle, N.Y.), assignor oi one-fourth to Made line F. ll icGill, Denver, (3010., and one-fourth to .l. R. Hanna, llronsville, NY.

Filed May 14-, 1963, Ser. No. 289,361 4 Claims. (Cl. 29-9) This invention relates to what are generally referred to as Weedless fishhooks employing a guard element extending between the eye end of a hook and the barbed end thereof. More particularly, the invention deals with a method of attaching guard elements to hooks of .is type and kind to insure positive securing and anchorage of the guard element on the hook and in a manner to otherwise leave the hook shank free for normal use of the hook and in preventing the hook from becoming entangled with foreign elements in the water bottom where fishing is being conducted.

Still more particularly, the invention deals with a method, wherein the mounted end of the guard element is supported upon the eye end and adjacent shank of the hook in the operation of forming a securing, bonding, molded body thereon, which can be ref rred to as an encapsulating shroud.

The novel features of the invention will be best understood from the following description, when taken together with the accompanying drawings, in which certain embodirnents of the invention are disclosed and, in which, the separate parts are designated by suitable reference charactors in each of the views and, in which:

FIG. 1 is a diagrammatic sectional view of a die for use in forming fish hooks of the character defined.

FIG. 2 is a diagrammatic planar view of one of the dies shown in PEG. 1 and illustrating part of the other die in section.

FIG. 3 is an enlarged p rtial sectional view of the die structure, as seen in FIG. 1, with parts of the construction broken away and in section.

FIG. 4 is a planar view of one or" the dies shown in FIG. 3, with parts of the construction broken away and indicating the gate leading to the molded body in dot-dash lines.

FIG. 5 is a section on the line 55 of FIG. 3.

FIG. 6 is a side view of a fish book made according to my invention, illustrating the molded bonding body in section.

1 16. 7 is a diagrammatic plan view of one die illustrating, in part, the method of simultaneously forming bonding bodies on a plurality of fish hooks generally supported in accordance with the teachings in FIGS. 1 to 4, inclusive; and

FlG. 8 is a diagrammatic section on the broken line 88 of FIG. 7.

My invention deals with the formation of Weedless fish hooks, generally of the type and kind shown at 1% in FIG. 6 of the drawing, the fish hook comprising a shank ll, having an eye end portion 12, the other end of the shank having a reversely curved portion 13 terminating at its end in a barb 1d. The fish hook, shown in FIG. 6, differs from conventional fish hooks, in that the shank 1, adjacent the eye end 12, has a key recess 15. At 16 is shown a guard element fashioned from a single strand of wire or other material, having a central looped end portion 17 engaging the barbed end portion of the hook and a bent portion 18 formed around part of the eye 12, with parallel ends 19 extending along the shank 11, the ends 19 terminating in otlset key portions it At 21 is shown the molded or cast securing or bonding body for retaining the ends 19 against displacement from the shank 11, the body including a key portion 22, which extends into the recess in definitely keying the body 21 against displacement on the shank 11. In the showing in PEG. 6, a single end 19 is shown. However, in consideration of FIGS. 4 and 5 of the drawing, the dual ends 19 are clearly illustrated.

In FIGS. 1 to 5, inclusive, I have diagrammatically illustrated one method of producing fish hooks of the type and kind defined and, at this time, it will be understood that, while one means is shown for retaining the body 21 in position and the element 1:: against displacement from the body, other means can be employed.

In H68. ,1 andZ, I have shown at 23 and 24 the two die members, alined by pins 23'. These die members have cavity portions at 25 for collectively receiving the shank ll of a fish hook, the die 23 having a recess 2-5 for receiving the barbed end portion 14 of the fish hook.

Considering FIG. 3 of the drawing, it will appear that the die 23 has a cavity portion 2'7 for receiving the eye end 32 of the hook, the die 23 having :1 depending chamber 23 with an upper reduced elongated bore portion 2? registering with the eye end 12, through which the shank portion 16' of the element 16 passes. The bend 18 of the element l6 passes around a portion of the eye 12 and the ends 19 extend along the shank ll of the hook, as I clearly noted in FIGS. 3 and 5, and in retaining the element in position, shown in FIG. 3, a hinged tlap or retaining member rests upon the eye and 18 and part of 1? and includes a portion 3?. extending into the eye and engaging the bends 18 in securely fixing the element 16 in position in the die and on the shank ii. The member 35' is pivoted or hinged, as seen at 32, in a bracket 33 fixed to the die 23, as seen at 34, the bracket 33 having bearing ends 33' supporting the pivot pin 32.

Considering FIG. 2 of the drawing where part of the die 24 is shown in section, it will appear that the sprue or gate 35, through which the material is injected into the die, is offset to one side of the fish hook and the extension or runner 36 of the gate passes horizontally into the cavities 3'7 and 38 in the dies 23 and 24 fonming the molded body 21, previously described. Considering FIG. 2 of the drawing, it will appear that the die 23 has a large recess 39 for swinging movement of the member Bil when the dies are opened and the member 3% also fits in a recess 4! in the die 24 when the dies are in closed position. The member includes an alinement rib portion 3d which seats in a recess 41 in the die 23, the rib portion 31 being shown in elevation in FIG. 3 of the drawing.

From the foregoing, it will be understood that, when the dies are in open position, the fish hook it and the element in are mounted in thedie 23, in the manner clearly shown in PEG. 3 of the drawing, with the member 3:) in its open position, after which, the member is moved into the closed position, shown in FIG. 3, and the die 24 is then moved into closed position and the casting or molding shot is performed to fashion the body 21 on the shank 11 and the ends 19 of 16, as diagrammatically shown in FIGS. 3 and 4- of the drawing; whereupon, the die 24 is moved into open posit-ion, the member 38 is raised and the fish hook assemblage is removed from the die 23 and, thereafter, the shank portion 16 of the fish hook is fashioned by suitable means to form the curved contour therein, as clearly illustrated in FIG. 6 of the drawing, and by suitable means, the extension or runner 23 will be trimmed from the molded body 21 by trimming means commonly known in the art.

In FIGS. 7 and 8 of the drawing, I have diagrammatically illustrated a method of simultaneously forming a plurality of bodies, such as the body 21, on a plurality of fish hook assemblages. In FIG. 7,-I have shown at 42 a plan view of a part of a die having a multiple of V 'ing the respective bodies 21;

. cavities; thereinfin which the shankhportions of fi'slipr books 19 are supported, each fish hook and its guard ele' ment being retainedin positionin the cavities43 by retainingfmembers as, similar to the members 3%)? At 45. is showna' sprue and a runner 4 6 leading to two'adg'acent cavities and a runner 46' "leading to an end cavity, part of the construction of the die 42 beingbroken 'away to indicate that another group ofthree cavities and fish hooks can be disposed at the left or right'side ofthe die. At 7 V 47 is indicated part of a nozzle forinjecting the casting or molding material 48 into the-sprue and runners in simul taneously'forming all of the molded bodies 21 on the shanks of the fish hooks. As the fish'hooks diagrammatically illustrated in-FICnTare identical withthe fish hooks 1 ofFIGS. ,1 to 6, inclusive, common reference numerals 1 are employed. It will also be apparent that the die 42 t has recessed side portions, as at 49, for receivingthe 1 curved and barbed ends of the fish hooks;

In this connection, considering FIG 8 of the'drawin g,

, it will appear that the'die 42 is wedge-shaped in form,

and has a recess 58in the tapered surface 51 opening into the recesses 49 for a definite support of the'elementslfi the die 42' from the holders 55 and 54 is separated from 42, the element 16 can be flexibly withdrawn from the V cavity, 53 in removal of thefinished product. The-above a reference deals with the. single cavity portion of the dies, but it'will be understood that eachof the cavity portions of the dies 42-and 54 -will be similarly formed. In this connection, it will also appear; from a consideration of FIG. 8 of the drawing, that-thediefid has recessed por- I tions 56 for reception of the members 44, these members being pivotally supported in 42, generally-in the'same manner as with the construction shown in FIGS. 3 and 4 of thedrawing. It will also be apparent'that part of the cavities is also formed inrthe die 54-, as noted at 43' in FIG. 8.. The Wedge contour of the'die 54 is shown by V the bevelled surface 54' and, in moving the two dies into the holder 55, adjacent abutting surfaces of the diesare v brought into pressure engagement in firmly supporting the fish hook assemblagercompr ising 'the'hooks 1d and elements 16 in the cavity portions of the dies, preparatory cavities in formto the injection of the material intothe therein in a flexed position by engagement of l with a r transverse pin 52 in thefrecess 5%. In this fiexure of 16, V the shank portion adjacent the eye 12 of the hook bears against a surface of a'conica'l passagejd in the die through which the element 16 passes. It will be understood that, when the companion die 54 is removed with 7 I a r t frame present illustration, thefb odies 21- have been lshown' as formed of a moldedor cast metal preferably of V lightweightrrnaterial. Howeven'thcse molded bodies can be formed of'plastidmaterial and the metallic section- 5' ing} has been selected in order to simplify the presentillus: 'tration. 1 a

' Having 7 fully new and desireto'secure by Letters Patent is: i 1. The method of producing Weedless fish books, the

fishhook comprising an elongated shank having a reversely curved end portion terminating in a barb end,"

the other rend; portion of the shank terminating in an eye anda Weedless guard having an offset end, with the remainderof said guard extending from the eye to said barb end, which" consists in supporting the offset end of said guard in intimate contact with said'shank and part 1 or" the eye, and pressure-molding a plastic body about that, part of the shank having the. major portion of the offset end of'the guard inintimatecontact therewith in securely bonding said offset end to the shank.

j 2.. A' method as defined in claim ,1, wherein that part 'ofathe shank contained Within said plastic body is fashioned to form a key portion engaged by the plastic body in holding the hookand otfsetend of the guard in intimate contact against relative movement.

: 3. A method as defined in claim 1, wherein said offset end of the guard is fashioned to form within the plastic r bodyfkey means retaining said offset end of the guard against withdrawal from said plastic body.

is fashioned'centrally to form a loop engaging thelbarb end of the fish hook, and the offset end of the guard comprises a pair of parallel strands arrangedin intimate contact with the shank of the fish hook,

7 References Cited by Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS RICHARD H. EANES, 111., Primary Examinerf V described my invention, what lclairn as V 4. A method as defined in claim 1, wherein the guard 

1. THE METHOD OF PRODUCING WEEDLESS FISH HOOKS, THE FISH HOOK COMPRISING AN ELONGATED SHANK HAVING A REVERSELY CURVED END PORTION TERMINATING IN A BARB END, THE OTHER END PORTION OF THE SHANK TERMINATING IN AN EYE AND A WEEDLESS GUARD HAVING AN OFFSET END, WITH THE REMAINDER OF SAID GUARD EXTENDING FROM THE EYE TO SAID BARB END, WHICH CONSISTS IN SUPPORTING THE OFFSET END OF SAID GUARD IN INTIMATE CONTACT WITH SAID SHANK AND PART OF THE EYE, AND PRESSURE MOLDING A PLASTIC BODY ABOUT THAT PART OF THE SHANK HAVING THE MAJOR PORTION OF THE OFFSET END OF THE GUARD IN INTIMATE CONTACT THEREWITH IN SECURELY BONDING SAID OFFSET END TO THE SHANK. 